Even if you’ve tried every Italian restaurant in town, your hopes of experiencing something new and unique right here at home are not completely dashed when it comes to cuisine from the boot-shaped country. Former La Gemma owner Roberta Campani is offering a a series of pop-up dinners featuring traditional regional Italian dishes, which kicks off 6-10 p.m. Friday at Hot Pink Cake Stand, 5543 Carolina Beach Road in Monkey Junction (next to Staples).

For a fixed price of $35 per person (beverages, tax and gratuity are not included), diners will feast on a four-course meal that includes the following:

* Dolce diplomatico: layers of puff pastry, pastry cream and vanilla cake soaked in rum with a drizzle of chocolate

There will be an extensive wine selection available to accompany dinner for an additional charge. Seating is limited, so reservations and prepayment are required by noon Thursday; call 409-8043. Future dinners will be held weekly through late July, falling on either Thursdays or Fridays, with specific dates to be announced soon; stay updated here.

Roberta can flat out cook. Anyone lucky enough to get a spot at one of these meals will walk away with one of the most unique and delicious dining experiences of their lives. Take it from a guy who has eaten plenty of her food, you don’t want to miss this.

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Howdy readers,

Welcome to the StarNews food blog – where we focus on the fine, not-so-fine and just plain funky eats in the Cape Fear region. We cover all sorts of edible tidbits: restaurant buzz, interesting ingredients (and how to use them), recipes, great deals and more.